Church School at the Advent kicks off SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2014! THAT'S NEXT SUNDAY!!!! We start by Commissioning the Church School Teachers as a parish family at the 9 o'clock mass, which is also the service for the Fifth annual Blessing of the Backpacks. Students of all ages - from pre-school to grad school - can come forward with their backpacks during the 9 o'clock mass to be blessed by a priest. Don't worry if you're not old enough for a backpack yet - just bring a lunchbox, a pencil box, something you'll carry to school with you every day.

After Mass, Registration for Church School begins in the Library. Why not join us, and invite a family that doesn't yet have a church home? Come out for refreshments, to meet the Church School staff, get a blessing for your backpack and celebrate as a parish the beginning of another great school year!

Church School classes begin the following week, on September 14.

A Mass in celebration of the life of Robert Douglas Hunter will be offered at 1:30 PM this Saturday, September 6. 

The Rev'd Alan Gates will be consecrated as the 16th Bishop of the Diocese of Massachusetts on Saturday, September 13, at 11:00 AM. The service will take place in Boston University's Agganis Arena, 925 Commonwealth Avenue. The service and reception are open to all, but everyone who plans to attend (including participants and volunteers) must have a ticket. Online ticket ordering closed on August 15. Tickets have been mailed out to those who registered online. Remaining tickets will be available for pick-up at the reception desk at the diocesan offices at 138 Tremont Street in Boston on September. 8, 9 and 10 between 10 AM and 3 PM. They also will be available on a first-come, first-served basis at a will-call table at the Agganis Arena on the morning of the consecration service.

Webcast: There will be a live webcast for those who cannot be at the celebration in person. A link will be provided on the consecration event page, where additional information about the day is available.

The choir season will begin shortly, with the first rehearsal of the Advent's famed Parish Choir taking place Wednesday evening, September 24, from 6:30 to 8:30 PM in the Choir Room. This ensemble provides music for the 9:00 Sung Mass on a regular basis and for several evening services throughout the year. The choir rehearses on most Sunday mornings from 8:00 to 8:45 AM, and has a once-a-month midweek rehearsal on a Wednesday evening from 6:30-8:30 PM. The schedule is flexible; if you can make the once monthly full rehearsal, you can sing for the following 4 Sundays to which it corresponds. And, there are occasional Sundays off. If you wish to join them to sing masterworks of the Renaissance and Anglican traditions, please contact Mark Dwyer or Ross Wood after Mass, or contact Mark Dwyer at 617-523-2377 extension 141 or by email for more information.

Praying This Month: Sarah Durfey - The Advent supports a number of people involved in mission in Boston and around the world, and we've committed to supporting them not only financially, but in our prayers. One of our missionaries is Sarah Durfey, a founder of Amirah, Inc. (she now serves on its Board) and the Director of the Abolitionist Network which runs out of the Emanuel Gospel Center in the South End. Please pray for Sarah and the people these ministries serve, and for more information or to get personally involved, visit www.egc.org/abolition.

Get involved and stay informed about Advent mission projects:

* Follow @AdventInMission on Twitter
* Contact Fr Wood to be added to an Advent In Mission email list
* Remember our missionaries in your prayers!

Lord of all power and might, who art the author and giver of all good things: Graft in our hearts the love of thy Name, increase in us true religion, nourish us with all goodness, and bring forth in us the fruit of good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.